Financial investigations, analytics, and international cooperation: ESBU delegation completes training in Amsterdam

 The delegation of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine participated in another practical mission within the framework of the OECD program "Tax Inspectors Without Borders—Criminal Investigations," held in Amsterdam, Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The training was organized by the Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service (FIOD) of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with support from the country's Ministry of Finance. Representatives from the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) also joined the event.

The mission included ESBU detectives, analysts, specialists from the international cooperation and legal departments, as well as representatives from other Ukrainian state authorities. During the training, participants worked on modern approaches to investigating economic crimes currently applied across EU member states.

The program was structured as a combination of theoretical and practical sessions. Specifically, the participants:

• analyzed criminal cases using an evidence matrix;
• practiced mechanisms for detecting tax evasion schemes;
• studied approaches to the seizure, confiscation, and management of assets;
• mastered tools for analyzing banking transactions and financial flows;
• examined mechanisms for international legal assistance and investigative coordination.

Particular attention was paid to the analysis of complex financial schemes, including transit operations, payment splitting, the use of strawmen (nominees), and multi-level corporate structures designed to minimize tax liabilities.

International cooperation was a key focus. Participants gained practical knowledge in coordinating cross-border investigations, establishing joint investigative teams (JITs), and exchanging information between law enforcement agencies of different states.

The experience gained will enable the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine to strengthen its analytical capabilities, enhance the quality of evidence collection, and increase the efficiency of documenting economic crimes, including those with an international dimension.

The ESBU expresses its gratitude to the organizers—the Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service (FIOD) of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Dutch Ministry of Finance—for the high level of organization, the practical orientation of the training, and their support in developing the professional competencies of Ukrainian specialists.